It was a long way to go but Fort Worth quintet Green River Ordinance got there in a short period of time.
Formed in Texas by brothers Geoff and Jamey Ice -- a bassist and guitarist, respectively -- the group recorded its debut EP in the basement of their church. And it sold out in just a few months.
The band's name refers to the colloquial name for laws banning door-to-door sales. So it's ironic that a groundswell of support led to an opening slot for Bon Jovi in Dallas just a couple years later.
Now Green River Ordinance has two full-length discs under its belt and opens for "American Idol" winner David Cook at the Riverside on Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 8 p.m. The Script is also on the bill.
Pure American pop is a good way to describe the music on GRO's latest, "Out of My Hands," out now on Virgin Records.
The guitar-driven rock, laced with emotive vocals, recalls bands like Counting Crows and The Wallflowers. And you may have heard the song, "Come On" -- from the new album -- on television's "So You Think You Can Dance."
But, says singer and guitarist Josh Jenkins, all this rapid success hasn't changed the band -- which also includes drummer Denton Hunker and guitarist Joshua Wilkerson -- or its approach to making music.
"We've always had a vision about what we wanted to do musically, and we're still getting it done," Jenkins says. "We've stayed true."
Dublin's The Script also performs, after having wrapped up a tour with no less than Sir Paul McCartney. The band is triple platinum in Britain and near triple that in sales at home in Ireland.
Tickets are $32.50.
Other shows on tap this week include:
White Rabbits, Glass Ghost and The Dig fill the Turner Hall ballroom with sound on Tuesday, Nov. 10. Spoon's Britt Daniel produced White Rabbits' new disc, "It's Frightening," which has thumping percussion, jagged guitars and urgent performances. Glass Ghost, meanwhile, is distinguished by the unique vocal style of singer Eliot Krimsky.
The Dig recently completed its first full-length disc with producer Bryce Goggin (Sean Lennon, Pavement, Apples in Stereo, Sebadoh), which will follow the 2007 EP, "Good Luck and Games."
Danceable rock and roll with catchy riffs and memorable melodies, The Dig just may be the soon to be unleashed secret of this gig, which costs $12.
Two nights later Turner hosts The Fiery Furnaces, whose eighth disc, "I'm Going Away," is out now on Thrill Jockey. The band -- Eleanor and Matt Friedberger -- plans to release a limited edition vinyl box set and a "non-record record, in book form, with notations and instructions" on Thrill Jockey this year.
Better catch the band now because they sound awfully busy. Who knows when the Furnaces will be back. Cryptasize and Dent May also play at the 8 p.m., $10 show.
Also on Thursday, check out blues singer and guitarist Tommy Castro who celebrates the release of his new disc, "Hard Believer" -- on Chicago's legendary Alligator label -- with an 8 p.m. gig at Shank Hall. Cover is $20.
"Hard Believer" was produced by John Porter -- yes, Virginia, the same John Porter who produced The Smiths, Billy Bragg and Roxy Music -- so, you'd do well to not expect a "typical" blues record.
Nebraska's Digital Leather -- aka Shawn Foree -- has a new record out, too. "Warm Brother" is on Fat Possum and it's a quirky lo-fi mix of raw guitars and crazy synths.
It's really unlike anything you've likely heard before. Foree beats his labelmate A.A. Bondy to Club Garibaldi by a few days, playing on Friday (Bondy is there next Tuesday).
The Rave hosts Slightly Stoopid on Saturday, Nov. 14 at 8 p.m. The Aggrolites and Inspector Cluzo open the show which will run you $20.
At 6 p.m. that evening The Rave hosts the Monsters of Death tour with Vader, Decrepit Birth, Warbringer, The Amenta, Augury and Swashbuckle. Tickets are $17.50.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
